Michael Lorenzen Breaks Phillies Eight Year Curse

You could hear the late Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas rally a good portion of the crowd left in solidarity after celebrating Michael Lorenzen’s first career no hitter in only his second start with the ball club. It marked the first time a Phillies pitcher recorded a no-hitter since Cole Hamels in 2015 at Wrigley Field. And how ironic, Hamels had retired recently as of five days ago to the day Lorenzen sharpened an unforgettable performance at his debut start in Citizens Bank Park in front of mom, his wife, and child to be in the midst of a humbling experience later described by the right hander.

Lorenzen’s perfect game shall I add was first broken by an inevitable 3-1 count but not the no-no. The defense came alive early with spectacular plays by new MLB’er Weston Wilson ceasing control of a left field defensive play and hitting a towering home run off MacKenzie Gore (4.62). Wilson upheld in his major league debut but the bigger tests will be determined later.

Lorenzen also received support from Alec Bohm, Johan Rojas, Nick Castellanos, and even former Phillie Ryan Howard from the booth. It was a swell performance. Lorenzen tends to use his four-seam fastball but, at times, switched to the sweeper and earned a strike out away in the zone. Almost same happened in an instance to CJ Abrams.

Lorenzen fooled Abrams initially into swinging for a pop out to center high in the zone. Then, next at-bat, the bat got away from Abrams with a deceiving changeup down in the zone.

Lorenzen worked the zone until it sizzled on an August summer night in Philadelphia. The Phillies bats were hot with Wilson, Nick Castellano’s third inning home run, Trea Turner’s hit streak extension. Everything was firing on all cylinders and Lorenzen was displaying a classic.

My Uncle sat next to Jake Alu’s parents in the image above, and let’s just say Alu did not have his best night.

Nobody in turn, could hit off Lorenzen and the damage had been created from the first inning to the ninth. With one pitch to 124 counting, Lorenzen called the ninth inning the coolest moment of his career. Elaborating that he tries to quiet the mind but feel the electricity of the moment. He felt it.

Lorenzen is etched in Phillies history now with the likes of Tommy Greene, Kevin Millwood, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and many others. Lorenzen not only broke a curse but harped on a day that will eternalize a fraternal bond like no other in Philadelphia sports.

A good example is when the team celebrated around Lorenzen after the game and proceeded to splash water on his headset with Phillies play-by-play commentator Tom McCarthy. After replacing the headset and conveying a lengthy, righteous speech, the team camaraderie showed for in a swarming huddle of players including Craig Kimbrel, Brandon Marsh and others to name a few and it had not been more than 10 days Lorenzen has found time to settle for a type of housing in Philadelphia other than a hotel with mom, his wife, and baby.

Lorenzen raised his baby in the air like it was his swan song but the Phillies still as the former reliever from Detroit, Anaheim and Cincinnati. Weston, Joey Meneses and Lorenzen all traveled roads, collided, bounced around. Last night was a ceremony of all riches, this season is not over as the Phillies newest acquisition summed it best.